Socioecological factors associated with fathers' well‐being difficulties in the early parenting period

Abstract

Background

Well‐being difficulties such as depression, anxiety, stress, and fatigue are common among fathers. However, little is understood about factors that might place fathers at increased risk of well‐being difficulties or protective factors that reduce the likelihood of experiencing these problems. The aim of the present study was to use a socioecological perspective to explore a range of individual and microsystem factors associated with depression, anxiety, stress, and fatigue in fathers.

Methods

The study sample consisted of 133 Australian fathers of young children, aged 0–6 years, who had completed a parent well‐being survey.

Results

Multiple regressions revealed that a range of individual and microsystem factors significantly explained variance in depression, anxiety, stress, and fatigue, including poor sleep quality, a number of coping strategies, parental self‐efficacy, and social support.

Conclusions

Fathers are at risk of experiencing a range of well‐being difficulties. Implications for potential targets for interventions to improve the well‐being of fathers are discussed.

Abstract

Key words:

• anxiety
• depression
• father
• fatigue
• stress

M, mean; SD, standard deviation; SEIFA, Socio‐Economic Indexes for Areas.

M, mean; SD, standard deviation; SEIFA, Socio‐Economic Indexes for Areas.

Acknowledgments

The authors were supported by the Victorian Government Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD). The findings and views reported are those of the authors and should not be attributed to DEECD.

Notes

M, mean; SD, standard deviation; SEIFA, Socio‐Economic Indexes for Areas.

Additional information

Funding

Victorian Government Department of Education

Early Childhood Development (DEECD)